Trail of Tears: The Search Chapter 1

Selene's left even before people have managed to collect in support, rushing off in the direction the map takes her on her bike. Thankfully a small group has gotten together to make sure she doesn't throw herself at her own death pointlessly, and follows afterward in one of the buses. Destination southeast, into the chocktaw territory of Oklahoma, the least populated area of the state beyond the panhandle, much of it is quite poor, in great disrepair even before the outbreak.

Selene roars through the desert on her bike, going at speeds that are probably far above recommended given the abandoned cars and general disrepair of the road. She whips past the obstacles, barely missing some of them, as she races towards the location marked on the map.

Snowblind is currently looking through her saddle bags as almost a nervous response. Eventually she pulls out a radio that she often uses and looks towards the front of the bus to who ever is driving and the rest of the passengers. "Does she have a radio on her? Does anyone know? She left in such a rush I don't even know if she has her head on straight..." Snow mews then shifts a bit to get comfortable in the isle again.

Skylar shakes her head as she looks out of a window. "Uh, nope. And she definitely does not have her head straight after what happened on that stop we did...I came because I thought of helping her with things that are less 'charge head on and get killed'. But she already has a head start..." She sighs and shuffles anxiously.

Jahrine looks out the window, watching the landscape zoom by. After a while, she pulls out a brush to start cleaning her tail to keep herself busy. "Where's she headed to, anyway?"

Aidan is just sitting above the bus, staring both ahead and, from time in time, to both sides. Not used to be in a closed space anymore, she's holding herself in her 'usual' spot when coming to vehicles. Her radio is still on, but she's just listening for now.

Selene's managing to keep a good distance from the bus, but they manage to keep her in sight. Her destination thus far unknown to the rest, but she seems maddeningly focused. All around, the flat road and farmlands, dead grass from the summer heat. The only roads often off the highway are frequently little more than dirt trails.

Skylar pulls her radio and pushes the transmit button a few times, herself not really familiar with the thing. She finally holds it down and asks. "Uh...Selene...do you...copy?" She asks remembering action movie talk.

Selene suppresses a snarl as her radio squawks at her. "What?!" she growls sharply, focused on the road in front of her and on getting to her mate.

Jahrine sighs and puts the brush away, moving to stand at the front of the bus. She just leans against a pole to watch out the big window, eyes focused on Selene, looking rather deep in thought

Snowblind was about to do the same but as Skylar beat her to it she just lets Selene answer before tying up the clear air. "Sky, you don't have to use official radio speak. Not much traffic to stop us from saying what we want." Hearing Selene's response she gives a small shake of her head and cuts in on her own radio. "Could you tell us where you’re going? We want to help, we are your friends as well as Cilan's friends."

Skylar ears sort of perk up as the answer comes from Selene and nods after Snow mentions the lack of radio traffic, she once again contacts Selene. "Uh...Selene, please calm down or you'll do nothing but kill yourself and everyone in this bus, and also lose Cilan forever. I mean, was your original plan really just going off into the sunset riding your bike to save Cilan alone?" She says hoping to not come off as too authoritarian.

Aidan is just quietly listening at the radio for now. Should someone be near her, they would likely see the fox quite pissed off.. she's clearly not approving this behaviour, dangerous for both Selene and the group, but at least understanding it enough to let Selene's friends to try to calm her down.

"Bache. Southeast of here." Selene says, the words sharp and brief. "And if you want to help, fine. But if you slow me down, I'm leaving you behind." Skylar cuts across her then, breaking the rest of her words off in a short squeal of static. She growls again as she says "I didn't ask -any- of you to follow me. Anything happens to you, that's on your heads, not mine. and the plan is simple. Go to Bache. Kill anyone who gets in my way. Get Cil out."

Skylar sighs before contacting Selene once more. "And what makes you think they're not baiting you to do exactly that? Wouldn't that be the reason to...whomever that was to pretend to be Cilan...? Get you angry so you rush in and get chopped into tiny pieces?"

"Daddy dearest is unaware of a few upgrades I've had since last we met." is the only answer Selene gives.

Jahrine moves to stand by Aidan and softly murrs "If there's anything I can do to help, just give the word, ‘kay?" to him. Concern is written across her face, her usual cuddly posture serious for once.

The trip in told takes more than a few hours, the miles grow weary, though this part of the country there aren't many abandoned vehicles simply due to how destitute it is. However, there are signs of life around, human activity in the backwater towns, eyes looking suspicious as the vehicles go by.

Skylar snickers, her head shaking dismissively. "Do any of you think these people even know about the apocalypse?"

Snowblind fiddles with her forepaws for a bit while Selene and Skylar 'talk' to each other. When Selene comes back with that answer she gives a low hiss before picking up her radio and cutting in. "And what makes you think that you’re the only one that has those upgrades. The nanites are GLOBAL now. Yeah, maybe we are not in a bubble but that does not mean that things haven’t changed! For the love... Spirits you’re not going to listen but please trust me... us... with help we can get Cilan. With out... it would be a small grave that we have to mourn over."

Selene laughs derisively. "You think I'm talking about NANITES? Fuck nanites! I'm talking about the shit I’ve learned to do since last time I met the bastard in Portland." She goes silent for a while, then, roaring past all the staring eyes, ignoring them. Eventually, she speaks again. "If you're really, truly serious about helping me... then you do what I say, when I say it. No arguing and whining. Cil doesn't have time for that crap."

Aidan is a bit surprise of having company atop of the bus, but she turns to Jahrine and nods. "Not much seems to be done, at least for now.." the fox replies, speaking loud enough to be heard, "But I'll remember it. Just, if you need help be sure to talk up, and not getting initiatives of your own. We are in possibly dangerous areas, we are not alone here.". She points out at the signs of human activity, a half-smile on her muzzle as she hears Snow talking for her as well.

Skylar groans, making sure that her mouth is away from the radio as she does so. She runs a hand over her face and beak before replying. "Then please, stop acting like it'll be a breeze to defeat your...dad...who knows what he has learned too."

Jahrine nods and sits down, scanning the area "It's a lot nicer up here than inside. And I'm not one to charge off. Not without someone to back me up." The husky's ears flick towards the humans as they pass, smiling softly to herself.

There's a little "click" on the radio as Selene turns hers off, before gunning the engine on her bike and increasing her speed even more, pulling further ahead of the bus.

There's a nanite presence approaching Mcalester, noticeable, the group sticking to the outskirts of the small town, nearing their destination. The faint presence of activity that hovers over the small set of houses that somehow has its own name gives it an ominous feel. Why... here? What possibly could have driven Selene's father to drag them out into the middle of nowhere like this.

Snowblind mumbles more to herself than anyone else. "I will follow your orders till I think you order something that will get someone killed." With a heavy sigh she moves her tail slightly to reveal that it is hiding a long and covered object that she brought along with her. "I would rather have left this at home."

Selene slows down as she moves through the streets of Mcalester, much warier of ambushes as she moves through the streets, but still spurred on by the knowledge that Bache isn't far now.

Skylar expression seems annoyed as she tucks the radio away. "Greaaaat. Our leader is crazy and going on a powertrip against her own dad who has powers to camouflage himself as other people. This can't go wrong..." She looks at Snow and tilts her head. "What's that?" "I'm the kind to rush over.. but lately I'm trying to stay calm." Aidan admits, eyes looking around and seeking for potential menaces. The unfamiliar place is really causing the fox to be worried about getting an ambush. "I'm worried for Selene... charging like that usually makes you easy prey of an ambush.. which is not what we need right now."

Jahrine nods and sighs "Wait...did Sky just say that her dad can mimic other people's appearances? What if...he tried to mimic one of us?"

Selene pulls into the town first, her bike parking in the empty street. Maybe twenty or thirty houses in this small place. As she's hoping off, a crowd of five or so people, men, the look of farmers about them are sitting around seemingly arguing at a picnic table in front of one of the only stores in the town. All eyes turn to the Lunerin.

Snowblind looks up and gives a small smile to Skylar. "Two of the only weapons that I have ever used. Sadly I only have three shots left of the gas launcher. The other one I have never used against a live target yet." She slightly unwraps it and she shows off a lance. "At least we were able to get her to tell us where she is going in case we lose here. Yet I don't like the idea of anyone of us losing sight from another." Unknown to her she is almost mimicking the thought of those on top of the bus At the time when the destination looms ahead.

"One more reason to be extra careful..." Aidan admits, not really hiding to be nervous about the matter, "And.. be careful. Seems we are getting closer...". She points out that they are getting closer to the town, the Lunerin already there.

Jahrine leans in and whispers something to Aidan before sitting back, focusing on the Lunerin now "What's the plan from here?"

Selene pulls her bike helmet off, shaking her head and flicking her ears for a bit, before setting it on the bike. She grabs her spear, and then faces the farmers. "Looking for someone. Stranger here. Woman, rode a bike like mine. Seen her around?"

Skylar raises her brown. "Gas...launcher? Like grenades? And...lances are very simple aren't they? Pointy part goes into non-friendly thing." She stops as they seem to reach their destination, getting up from her seat and spying out the windows, Selene and the farmers to be more specific. "Tear gas. Definitely not something anyone with a better then human nose wants to get a whiff of." Snow purrs as she stands. Keeping the weapons both wrapped up for now she lays them across her lower back while starting to get ready to leave the bus. "I still rather not kill if I don't have to Sky." She says as she pads up to the Gryphon and gives a light hug once the bus is fully stopped.

The men quiet suddenly, one or two looking a bit nervous and intimidated by the wolf, one of the men is outright glowering, while a few more seem just flat out upset. Their response though isn't what would be expected from hicks, none of them seeming upset to see a mutant, more upset by something... else. One of them finally speaks up. "You're going to have to come with us I'm afraid." as the irate one lifts up a shotgun and levels it in the Lunerin's direction, just as the bus is pulling up behind.

Aidan leans back to whisper a reply to Jahrine, together with a nod and a smile.

Selene stares pointedly at the man who spoke. "Your friend there looks a bit twitchy. Like he might be thinking of shooting me. That would be... inadvisable." she says, with a thin-lipped smile. "And come with you where? You know where the woman I'm looking for is?"

Skylar lets out a sound that seems like 'augh!' before she turns toward Snow. "They're pointing a gun at Selene!" She then skitters towards the opposite window, hoping to climb out of the bus while not being detected by the farmers.

Jahrine nods and smooths back her headfur "I'm going to go check on the rest of the bus" she says with a wink to Aidan, before leaning down into the interior. Sniffing a bit, she looks around for anyone who's left inside.

Aidan stays a bit more atop of the bus after Jahrine dashes down, the fox still enjoying the higher position to check better the area, noticing Skylar to slip out of the bus. Still, she's getting ready to dash forward, should something happen suddenly.

Snowblind says nothing as she leaves the bus and starts to pad towards the gathered group. She is not trying to be stealthy at all as she hopes the fact that she is in her EMT jacket to maybe show that things are not to the point of people having to shoot each other. Looking over her shoulder at Aidan she gives the smallest of smiles and then gives a friendly wave towards the group. Not having heard the conversation beforehand she just does a simple greeting. "Hello everyone."

Jahrine slips over to Snowblind and taps her on the shoulder to try and get her attention "Got a moment?" she asks, not trying to be subtle, but also not trying to stand out and draw attention to herself.

The response is quick, "She's probably with the others... But please, don't make this into a fight. We don't want to hurt you." from the main man, tall with light blonde hair, almost white, he has a ruddy redness to his skin that is almost like a constant burn. The bulkier irate man with the shotgun says, "Like hell I don't John. It's their fault..." Then Snowblind comes forward to address the group with the husky just shortly behind her. The tall cat is almost intimidating due to her tauric size, and the gun swivels in her direction.

Selene smoothly steps in front of the shotgun again. "Please put the weapon down." She turns her head to the man who spoke. "John, was it? What do you mean... others?"

• CLICK* is the noise coming from Aidan's left arm, even if nothing change about her yet. Her wings shiver behind her as she sees hose weapons pointed at Snow.. nothing is happening yet, but for sure is ready to act if someone should dare to harm her friends, especially someone like Snow.

Skylar looks for a rock or a can, anything that can make noise when thrown somewhere, alternatively she tries to see if it's doable to sneak behind the group of men.

Snowblind sees the shotgun come her way and stops moving when it does. Once Selene steps in front of it again though she turns her head toward Jahrine looking a bit shaken. "I do now. How can I help?" She says and does not make it a whisper so that the humans don't think that she is trying to plot something. Her ears twitch up towards Aidan but then she flattens them trying to not give anything away.

Jahrine murrs "I need to ask you something away from the group. Kinda needs to be kept quiet." she says this in the same tone as Snowblind, not giving anything away just yet. She notices the shotgun but doesn't respond to it. Apparently she's not very intimidated by it.

Snowblind gives a nods to Jahrine and then looks back up at the rest of the group. With a bit of a mew she just takes up a seated positing right where she was standing and leans in a bit closer. "I don't think those men are going to let us get back on the bus to talk. Is this something that can be whispered?" Right after asking that she turns and speaks up to the other man that was talking without the gun. "Or will you let us go without shooting first for a second?"

Selene's pleas and questions are delivered with a certain level of arrogance, and the tone just seems to go straight to the man with the gun. "That's it John, that bitch is the reason my wife is down there." and he pushes forward and fires the shotgun in the air to the side, a warning shot, while the barrel is pointed directly at Selene shortly after. The taller man, John seems to panic, "We need her uninjured Larry, stop, you're just going to fuck this up like you fuck everything else up." and moves forward to try to grab at him. The barrel swings around and the man fires a second shot, a mistake, the only two shots he has before reloading are used, and the buckshot practically melts the taller man, little red welts appearing all over his body as blood begins to leak out of him.

Jahrine nods "Quick whispering. That's all." she leans in and says a few words before standing back and nodding "Make sense?" she asks, already looking around to see where the others are. But as the second shot is fired she eeps and slowly starts to make her way to the injured man.

Selene reacts fast to the gunshots. Her arm whips forward, sending the spear at the chest of the gunman, even as she springs forward to catch John, lowering him to the ground gently. A quick evaluation of the injury makes her growl as she rounds on the other three men, pointing her crossbow at them. "Talk! Now! What the fuck is going on here?!"

Aidan's reaction is quite fast, her arm completely changing into a large integrated rifle, from the elbow down and quickly aiming it at the men after Selene did her move. "Better do as she says, big man.. or things are going to get bad from now..." the fox snarls, walking forward.

Skylar hears the shot and keeps on watching from her spot, noticing that there's nothing she can do she just keeps still expecting to see if there'll be any other hostiles that she can help with.

There's both a metaphorical and physical spear through the gunman's chest. A big flash of light impacts with him knocking him to the ground, and when the light fades, he's got a big spear. Two of the men begin to flee, one having already started to move when the shotgun blast happened. One's sitting there, in shock. He's incoherently babbling.

Snowblind nods to Jahrine at the whisper and is about to respond with something more when the first shot makes her wince. At the second one she just starts to sprint towards the man who was shot. Already she has her hands in her saddle bags for her medical bags even as she knows the guy could not survive that. "SPIRITS!" She spits out before she gets there and then also starts to mumble. "Phoenix help me..."

Jahrine kneels down next to the fallen man, pulling out long strips of cloth. While Snowblind is doing her thing, she is doing her best to wrap up the massive wounds and stem the flow.

Selene grabs the remaining man by the shirt collar and hauls him to his feet. She slaps him across the face and says "Focus! Tell me what I want to know, and you can walk away! Nobody needed to get hurt!"

Once Selene grabs the man, the large, overwhelming arm rifle is pointed to one of the running man.. or maybe in the middle. The white of one of her eyes turns black, the fox clearly feeling those as possible menaces... but she holds enough to not try to kill them. She shoots, the large bullet passing between them and impacting in front of them, creating a small explosion and some minor rock-rain. "Freeze you two. You have questions to answers, and the next one won't be a warning shot." the fox declares with a glacial, almost metallic voice.

Skylar sets off in a rush from her spot without a word to the rest of her teammates so that she can chase the fleeing men, she hopes that she can also stay undetected from their attention but values not losing them from her sight.

Completely focused on what she needs to do to help try and save this man, Snow only nods at Jahrine's help while her own hands are getting soaked with the man’s blood and guts. "Damn it... Damn it..." She mutters as she knows from her experience that the man will still soon be gone from this world, likely even with her newishly found help from phoenix. "He will need a doctor to live! Get a Doctor!" Snow shouts as she starts to focus on the trick of using her rebirth without being close to death herself. "And back away NOW!" She warns as she does not know who the Icy Fire might hurt.

Jahrine perks up at Snow and scuttles away. Once she's about 20 feet away, she looks around for anyone who's not busy, and sniffs the air. Her legs are bent and ready to move on a moment's notice should things take a turn for the worse.

One of the men running stops from Aidan's shot, not moving, the other is already out of sight, being stalked by a predatory gryphoness. The third man, the most nervous of them, squeaks as he's grabbed by Selene. Everything stops though as a potent chill and sauna-like heat impacts everyone in the area. The ice-fire continues to intensify until it blots Snowblind and Jahrine from sight. The one Aidan stops, manages to say, "What, what are you doing to him?". Inside Snowblind has grown transparent, as well as the dead man below her, Jahrine's bandages falling to the ground below.

Selene ignores the freaky temperature changes due to Snow's actions, but drags the man she has by the collar further away. She throws him to the ground, and stands with her hands on her hips. "Will you man up already? All I want you to do is tell me what's going on here, and where my wife is!"

Aidan reloads her arm-rifle, her attention now split between the area of ice-fire and the man who stopped, one of her tails giving quite a come-hither gesture. "Come here." she orders, simply.

Skylar keeps on following the man through the small town, wondering how life was here before the apocalypse hit, then her mind goes back to focusing on chasing the man.

Jahrine flinches and covers her eyes, bracing herself for impact. Soon she's darting over around the bus to try and stay out of sight, shifting down to a smaller form resembling a cat to hide better.

The large ice-fire column seems to rise higher up into the air, and then comes crashing down on the spot, exposing Jahrine, and then from the ground Snowblind bursts out in the form of a phoenix, crystals of ice falling from her feathers while flames cover her. Her explosive return, leaves a groaning man underfoot, still covered in blood, now with ice crystals hanging from him, semi conscious.

The man Aidan has her arm leveled at slowly comes forward, looking nervously at the inferno, and then seems to leap forward. "John, but how!" The one Selene's interrogating is too busy to notice that, and blurts out, "We have to bring you or he will kill her." his eyes closed, he seems to be crying. "Who! Who will he kill?" Selene says, totally ignoring the lightshow.

Skylar follows the man to the outskirts of the town, he's heading for a larger storage building on the west side of town it seems.

Jahrine eeps and runs to the nearest cover as hers is blown. Her smaller legs let her move faster than before as she dives behind the first object she sees.

Skylar keeps on following the man, taking it easier now that she more or less knows the location he's going towards, hoping that she can get closer to his destination undetected so she can extract some info about what's going on in this town.

Aidan makes a gesture to the man to stop, giving a look around... wait, where did Skylar go? It's been a while since she's gone...

Snowblind bends down over the man and once again makes sure that he is at least going to live for the next few moments. Looking up finally once that is over she says just above a whisper. "Sorry... did not mean to make a show. Selene, would you calm down so he can answer your questions?" With that said she looks around but only manages to spot Aidan as well from the group. "Did we split up while I was out." Seems she has not yet noticed that she is in the phoenix form right now while she lets the aura of her feathers try and sooth the man she is standing over.

"Susie, my wife." he admits, "And the others, John's daughter, Larry's wife and daughter..." the man answers Selene, seeming to panic now. The other man quickly runs over toward John, "But how... how can he be alive." he says as John's eyes open, icy blue where they were once brown.

Selene nods firmly. "Sounds like the guy who has my wife. Where.?" she says shortly.

Skylar manages to cut the man off, without too much issue. He practically jumps out of his own skin as the gryphoness sneaks up on him. He turns to bolt and trips over himself. "Please, please don't hurt me! It's not my fault!"

A finger points westward.

Selene looks west, and then back at the man, nodding again. "What kind of building?"

Jahrine peeks her head out and saunters over to the injured man once more. She moves nimbly and stays low to the ground as she approaches before looking up "Snow, what can I do to help?" the cat purrs, looking oddly regal considering her small size

Skylar almost smiles at the sight, used to ferals that usually go 'graaah!' and begin clawing her at this point. "I don't want to. What I want is to know what's going on here. Why did you and your group receive us with the guns and what did you plan to do with us?"

Aidan gets closer to Snow and Jahrine, regrouping. She's still on alert, but her eyes are back to normal, the fox listening at those words and clenching hard her fist.

"T.. T.. Trade..." He manages to utter, and then suddenly screams. Skylar's ears perk up and she manages to duck as a shovel swings over where her head was.

Snowblind looks towards Aidan and when she tries to smile she realizes that she has a beak now instead. "Keep close to her Aidan." She says while pointing towards Selene. She has a slight feeling that she might go running off again now that she has another direction. Her wings flare out when she is surprised by a kitty and it take a moment for her to realizes who it is. "Oh Jahrine... Ummm... well actually now that I did that I don't really know what he still needs. Anything you can offer should help." After addressing her friends she finally turns to the man who came back. "Careful with him sir. For those that have never gone through this it can be a bit shocking to them."

Skylar tries to leap from her ducking position, trying to position herself behind the unarmed man that just screamed so that she can face who just swing the shovel at here, she pulls out her knife, even if she's more used to combat with her claws she hopes that a survival knife adds a bit of deterrence against the shovel-wielder.

Jahrine snuggles next to the fallen man's head and purrs loudly into his ear "I'll keep him company. Give me a call if there's something that I can do. Oh and pass on the message that I gave you earlier. Please?" She mewls up, eyes wide and ears flicking around.

The one bending down looks up at Snowblind and says, "However you did it, thank you. Thank you, my brother didn't deserve to die like that." The other squeaks to Selene, "Out west, there's an old storage place, a furniture shop. He's there."

"Thank you" Selene says simply. She hauls the man to his feet, and then moves back to the body of the gunman. Placing one foot on his chest, she pulls her spear out of the body with a wet sucking noise. Cleaning the blood off on his shirt, she starts loping towards the indicated building, keeping an eye for any hostile natives along the way. As she leaves she calls out to the others "Let's move, people!"

Skylar's eyes finally focus on a rather harsh looking man, a hard look on his face, military haircut, stiff pose. He drops the shovel, and pulls out a rather nasty looking cat-o-nine-tails. A sharp smile appears on his face, someone's going to fight. The man between attempts to crawl away, but is stopped as a foot comes down on his ankle shattering it.

Aidan nods at Snow, but those fears are quickly gone as Selene announces to move all together. Looking around carefully, she moves at Snow's side, helping her to move to follow.

Skylar blinks. Rather surprised at the sudden offensive against the downed man, knowing that the military man is not going to be scared by a knife and that her claws are better at dealing with combat she puts the knife back in its place and takes a few steps back, lifting her hands up and pretending to give up. "Whoa whoa. On which side are you? Why did you just do that? Look, if you calm down I bet we can come to an agreement." She says but also eyes around, looking for somewhere that she can hide or at least break line of sight with the military man so she can try to sneak attack him.

Looking at the other man as she passes by his body Snow leans against Aidan gratefully for the support. Her gear mostly picked back up and sadly making it very difficult for her to move her wings at all. "I will pass it on Jahrine though I hope you come with us." Snow says while still looking at the dead man. "Save one to lose one. You are welcome sir, I hope you and your brother live well."

Jahrine sighs and gives the fallen a soft lick on the cheek before padding focusing. She shrinks once more, finally settling into the size and shape of a small fairy. To keep up, she moves to sit on the shoulder of the man helping Snow "Umm...do you mind if I catch a ride? It's so much faster if I hang with someone." she mewls slightly, looking innocent and sweet with her tiny wings folded around her shoulders upon landing

The whip comes down around Skylar's leg. The ends wrapping around, as she's backing up, jerking a foot from under her. The man remains silent in response to her. Her walks across the groaning man below him like trash. He finally speaks, the voice chilling. "You will make another nice toy. What nice presents my daughter brings for her father."

Skylar squawks in surprise as her leg gets pulled, knocking her on her back, she looks up to the military man. "Argh...so, nice to meet you too, Selene's father. You don't look much like her. Also, I'm not really into this 'toy' thing, just so you know." She notes before trying to slice the cat-o-nine-tails with her other foot before she skitters away from the two men, trying to climb somewhere he can't reach her.

Selene's ears twitch, and she stops, holding up a hand to signal those beyond her to do the same. Another earflick, and then she sprints off in a slightly different direction. "Skylar's in trouble!"

Aidan nods at Snow, giving her a squeeze to her arm. She knows that Selene is on the chase now, and giving Snow the time she needs would just make the group split again.. again. With a roar, the fox slips in front of the phoenix, before taking her on her back and resuming to dash after Selene. "Sorry Snow, but we don't have much time... until we find Skylar." she says, running after her.

He frowns, and shrugs, "You will come back to me willingly I'm sure my dear. Everyone does." and then he bends over and picks up the shovel, before putting it down on the man below his neck. He turns and heads back inside.

Jahrine perks up and glares at Selene, and points in her direction "Wait up! Let us help!

Snowblind nods towards Selene and tries to follow her. Though after a bit she turns towards Aidan. "I am slowing you all down in this form. I will need a moment to change back and catch up if you can't do something to help."

Skylar sighs as the man gets almost beheaded but not quite. Happy to be not on his place or on her way to become a 'toy' she decides to head back towards the main group to report her findings.

Jahrine hops off of Aidan's shoulder to stick with Snowblind, fluttering around her shoulder height "I'll stay by you Snow. I'm not going to be much help up front anyway." she purrs, letting her friend shift.

Skylar manages to meet the group in between, she looks more than a bit disheveled with her fur and feathers rippling.

Selene comes to a stop in front of Skylar. "What happened?"

Aidan nods at Snow, giving her a squeeze to her arm. She knows that Selene is on the chase now, and giving Snow the time she needs would just make the group split again.. again. With a roar, the fox slips in front of the phoenix, before taking her on her back and resuming to dash after Selene. "Sorry Snow, but we don't have much time... until we find Skylar." she says, running after her.

Jahrine blinks as the pair dash off ahead, and squeaks loudly. Sighing in disbelief at her luck, she proceeds to run after them, panting with the exhaustion at all the shifting she's done in such a short time.

Skylar lets out a bit of air. "I found your father, I guess." She mentions to Selene as the tries to pat some of the fur back. "I was following one of the men we scared off, I saw he was going to an warehouse and stopped him to ask about whatever was expecting us in there...then...this man appeared and crushed the guy ankle, I tried to talk, he took a...whip with many whips in it and almost got me...and then he killed the other guy..." She ends with her voice fading a bit. "Sorry."

Snowblind holds on tightly and reaches out a hand to hold onto the Furry kitty while Aidan brings the group close together again. "Sorry. I just saw no reason to let him die to something so stupid. Now I am not sure if I can do that again if any of you need it."

Selene growls quietly as Sky says what happened. And then rolls her eyes. "So miss "don't go off alone" went off alone, and got in trouble? You're lucky he let you do. Of course... it's all part of his game. Otherwise we'd not have found you." She turns towards the storage depot and rolls her shoulders before starting to walk towards it.

Skylar sighs and follows Selene. "There's a difference between going full speed ahead on a motorcycle without waiting for your friends and trying to tail someone who's scared so that we have more info."

Jahrine nearly flaps in the wind as the pair take off, holding onto Snow's shoulder for dear life. Just as she looks like she's going to flutter away the group comes to a halt, sending her tumbling forward through the air.

"Yes, seems that the 'stick together' part is quite.. ignored." Aidan says, getting to the rest of the group with the phoenix of her back, and Jahrine atop of her, one of her stretchy tails moving to hold and not losing her behind. The fox gives a sigh in relief as she lets down Snow, following with a nod. "I think that now it's the right time if you want to shift back.."[[Category:[REDACTED] Events]]